NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean-American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke on Wednesday welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s vote authorizing the deployment of a multinational mission in Haiti.
The resolution, adopted under the UN Charter’s Chapter VII on Monday, which sets out the Security Council’s responsibilities to maintain international peace and security, was penned by the United States and Ecuador.
“The world can no longer ignore the unprecedented levels of chaos and violence plaguing the nation of Haiti,” Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). “Within the last year, tens of thousands of children have been unable to attend school, and hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes as the situation worsens daily.
“The UN Security Council’s historic authorization is welcomed news, but more must be done,” added the representative for the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York. “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues in Congress, the Biden administration, and our international partners to support Haiti’s critical near-term needs and help foster the conditions necessary for the country to advance long-term stability.”
On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also welcomed the adoption of the resolution by the Security Council.
The UN chief’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, told journalists that Guterres applauded this development.
Dujarric said UN engagement with Haiti will continue ahead of the deployment of the international support mission backing beleaguered police fighting rampant gang violence.
He said armed groups had taken control of large areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and terrorized civilians for more than a year.
“Violence by armed groups is just one element of the multifaced crisis in Haiti, which remains gripped by political, humanitarian, and socioeconomic challenges,” Dujarric said.
The UN said the international mission has been approved for 12 months, with a review after nine. Kenya will lead it, and several of Haiti’s Caribbean neighbors have also pledged their support.
“Yesterday’s resolution was not about the approval of a UN mission, but the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) will fully support the Multinational Security Support mission, within the limits of its mandate, the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy and in full respect of the decisions taken by the Haitian State,” Dujarric said.
“While awaiting the deployment of this mission, the UN will continue to engage closely with Haitian authorities – particularly in support of the police, the corrections and justice system, and the electoral process,” he added.
Maria Isabel Salvador, the head of BINUH, the UN’s political mission in Haiti, called the Council decision “a positive and decisive step to bring peace and stability to the country.”
“This decision follows a long plea by the Haitian government, relayed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, based on the observation that the country will not emerge from the current security situation without strong international support for the Haitian National Police,” she said in a statement issued after the vote.
Given the adoption of Monday’s resolution, the US reiterated its pledge to provide multi-million-dollar aid to the French-speaking Caribbean country.
“As previously stated, we intend to work with Congress to provide US$100 million in foreign assistance, and the Department of Defense is prepared to provide up to US$100 million in enabling support,” said US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. “We continue to look to the international community to provide funding, equipment, training, and personnel to support a truly multinational effort.”
He said this “pivotal mission,” which will launch in partnership with Haiti, responds to Haiti’s request for international support to address insecurity and create the necessary security conditions for long-term stability and growth.
Blinken noted that the resolution authorizes the MSS mission to provide operational, static, and training support to the Haitian National Police.
“While this action represents important progress, the United States renews its urgent call to political actors, including Prime Minister Henry and opposition members, to broaden consensus and restore democratic order in Haiti,” he said.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a White House statement that the Security Council’s decision “marks an important milestone in bringing much-needed help to the people of Haiti who have suffered for far too long at the hands of violent criminals.
“We thank our partners at the council for moving swiftly to approve this decision, which formally endorses the mission and lays the framework for how the international community can best support Haiti at this critical time,” Sullivan said.
“The global community owes a debt of gratitude to Kenya for answering Haiti’s call to serve as the lead nation of the mission, and likewise to the other nations that have pledged to join this mission alongside Kenya, including Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda,” he added. “We thank these nations for their leadership and willingness to bring relief to Haiti.
“We have taken an important step today, but our work to support the people of Haiti is not done,” Sullivan continued. “It is now crucial that we focus on making progress in mobilizing the international support necessary to deploy this mission swiftly, effectively, and safely.
“The people of Haiti deserve to feel safe enough to leave their homes, restore their livelihoods, and go to the polls to elect a government that represents their interests democratically,” he said.
and then 